8230Re: [SCA-Herbalist] oooh!

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Aly/Cemper

Aug 1, 2011

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Personally, I have never made Dwale. If I had, I would probably boil it down so that two flagons were reduced. Can you imagine having to drink 2 flagons. I'd never get through 1/8th of ONE flagon before I keeled over :)

Yes, Galen also mentions its uses. Valerian was also one of the main ingredients in one of the recipes I have for Dwale which was an anesthesia. Of course, if you even survied drinking the Dwale which called for 2 flagons of wine, Valerian, hops and Datura (you had to drink the entire thing before surgery), then Valerian or a reaction to it was the least of your worries. :)

Thank you again. I think I remember that it was mentioned by Galen of Pergumum. More research is called for I think. It is amazing how a simple and short change in geography can change a plant's characteristics. That puts an even higher importance on local expertise. Today it seems to me that there is (or maybe has been for a long time) an attempt to hybridize the planet in an attempt to spread beneficial plants, and keep their best characteristics. It just makes me wonder about diversity. Well, an idiot speaks and I don't get much time to do that anymore. Mom's care keeps me too much in my head. Also, I wonder just how much medicinal plant lore was lost in the witch hunts.....and now society is trying to reclaim that lost knowledge. Time to go. Thanks again.

One need remember that plants had very different names in different places. Even the genus species of plants was different between areas and many of the genus species and plants we know now were known by different names. The difference could even be extreme from city to city or two different towns within a 30 mile radius. (This makes research a bit of a pain). Valerian has been used as a mild sedative as early as the 7th c. and is mentioned in Bald's Leecebook; however, Valerian was also known as Cetewall. There are two completely different plants known as cetewall: one is a ginger type plant and one is Valerian.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites that
setwall, Md. sedewale, is the name given to zedoary, Curcumazedoaria,
a ginger type of plant that is associated with turmeric, and Valerianapyrenaicia. The mediaeval community knew Valerianapyrenaicia as Ebullusminor; the modern date genus species
names Ebullusminor the name of Valerianaofficintalis . Some old English writers, named the herb valerian, setwall (or cetewall). The herb,
was, and still is, generally accessible to many .Even today, one can find Valerian growing in
old ruins and buildings in England. Valerian is a strong
sedative and works upon the higher nerve centers. It is used internally and
usually prescribed as a tea to relieve anxiety and, incidentally, as an
anti-convulsion medicine.The Lacnunga manuscript also lists valerian as an ingredient as a
salve. Salves, used against infection are topically applied. “Ðis is seo grene
seaf, betonia, rude, lufestice, finel, salue, aeðelferðinewyrt,……ualeriane,
clate, medewyert, dweorgedwolsan." {This green (ointment) is betony scab, lovage plant, fennel, (dark noble), king-herb (basil), valerian, burdock,mead-wort (mead with herbs in it),can use for [against] dwarves, mists.}

As an herb with the medicinal uses that we center upon, whilst Valerian was used internally, because it also had external benefits, the drug also, in some cases, carried the folk name of all-heal. All-heal(s) were popular names given to drugs that had more then one use and more then one important benefit. There are many many different plants that have the name of All-heal and they could be different again from city to city or town to town...

The biggest problem that I find with Valerian is its current over-use or misuse.
For example, my daughter is allergic to Valerian and I have found that many people have adverse reactions to Valerian depending upon doses or just plain unable to digest. Valium is a modern day equivalent of the plant and should be treated as a medication and with caution.

Citations and References:

Anderson, Frank J. An Illustrated History of the
Herbals. New York: Colombia University Press. 1977.